Living, and Learning, in a Virtual World…

As reality set in a few weeks ago (yup, feels like it was a few years ago-amirite?) that we were all going to be in this for quite a while, Soft Landing shifted gears to make sure families had everything they needed to survive, and even thrive, through social distancing, employment challenges, changes in childcare, and more. One of the most important things we have been able to do is support refugee students in accessing, engaging in, and sticking with virtual education. This isn’t a huge stretch for us, but it has required a substantial amount of adjustment for all involved. With the twice weekly after school program for middle school and high school refugee students we have been running for the last 2 school years, the incredible Soft Landing volunteer tutors, and the wonderful admin staff, teachers, and tutors with Missoula County Public Schools, the ground work was set to be able to step into this space. It is so important that refugee students continue to get access to the same educational experience that American born, native English speaking kids have access to. In many cases, through no fault of their own, these students end up a little behind, even in the best of circumstances (and parents of school-aged kiddos know, the “best” circumstances are still REALLY HARD right now!). 

In saying all that, we have now matched 12 students with 12 tutors and have supported everyone as we all learn this new system (see the picture below of Molly’s Zoom meeting checking-in with some of the tutors and Aria Peters of Missoula County Public Schools). I wanted to share with you the story of one of these matches- Patrice, the youngest of five brothers (student) and Alisha (Tutor). Patrice is currently studying for his high school equivalency, HiSET, and dreams of one day becoming an EMT and working for Missoula’s emergency services. When he heard that we were setting up folks with virtual tutors, he was among the first to raise his hand and has been incredibly engaged with his tutor, Alisha, spending hours with her each week studying advanced biology and science. Like many students and tutors, Alisha and Patrice worked through the barrier of home internet access and connected with our partners at Missoula Alliance Church to get him signed up for the free Spectrum internet and then an SLM tech volunteer helped Patrice set up his new modem. This match has been a great fit and we are also excited to share more about it in Alisha’s own words- “I was born and raised in Mumbai, India. In 2000, when I was 16, my family and I had an opportunity to immigrate to the U.S., so we moved to Austin, TX. Now, 20 years on, I am a postdoctoral research scientist (biologist) at UM studying Rocky Mountain stream and terrestrial ecosystems, and how the animals that live in them are coping with a warming climate. I have always been grateful that my family could move to the U.S.; it was a truly life-changing event that allowed me to become independent, study at a university, and pursue a PhD in science. But settling in, becoming assimilated, finding our footing and feeling like we belonged in this new country, were all really, really hard. So, I had always wanted to reach out to other people who might be struggling with the same things, to offer any help, and let them know that it will be ok. SLM was that opportunity for me! Being a tutor not only allows me to work with some incredible kids, but I get to merge my love for science with my wish to reach out to the immigrant and refugee community. I am constantly humbled by the SLM kids I work with. They are thoughtful, kind, patient, understanding, and deeply motivated to do well (I don’t recall being that way as a teen!!). I don’t think I do much or nearly enough, but I am extremely grateful for the chance to make even the smallest difference.”  Thank you Alisha!  You are amazing!

This experience has not come without challenges and time consuming detours, as access to home computers, internet, and the ability to navigate the virtual world seems always present in one way or another, but it has been an exciting and rewarding way for us to be able to continue with our programming- slightly adjusted- and serve families during COVID.

Now here comes the huge part- we get to do this because of you. You were the ones who donated the computers that are in these families homes. You are the ones who have supported Soft Landing as we have worked hard to build meaningful and impactful programming for refugee families in Missoula. Heck, you may have even been one of the thousand people who marched with us four and a half years ago to make sure the world knew that Missoula would be a welcoming place for refugees to resettle. And you are the ones standing by us as we navigate this new space and the wide range of other services we dove into during this strange time. I say this, not only as an incredibly heart felt THANK YOU, but also as a little nudge ;). Missoula Gives starts on Thursday (although giving IS live early this year- ie: right now!) and we want to first acknowledge that there is huge uncertainty for us all, and there are so many legitimate needs in our community at this time.  We hope that Soft Landing will continue to be a part of your giving during Missoula Gives this year. We are doing great things with incredible people and you have brought us this far. If you can give again this year, please do. If you are a new donor, every little bit counts. If you are in the fortunate position of wanting to find something meaningful to do with the COVID stimulus money that landed in your bank account- we can help with that 😉

So here’s to Patrice and Alisha, as well as all of our other students and tutors, and to all of you who continue to make the magic happen.

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

Missoula’s Refugees Give Back

Through an amazing partnership with many local business around town that are providing production space, including our good friends- Imagine Nation Brewing Company, Coaster Cycles is well on it’s way to producing 1,000,000 face shields to be used locally and sent all over the US to COVID hot spots in need of this essential protective equipment. And where there is resourcefulness, creativity, and ingenuity- of course there are REFUGEES! Here are a few more pictures of some amazing people stepping up to help with productions of these shields. Thank you to everyone involved in this incredible project.

Intern Spotlight

Katie VanCleave is a Sociology student at the U of M. Originally from Miles City, Katie has a passion for exploring new cultures. She began her internship with Soft Landing in January, and soon became an indispensable part of our team. Even though her official internship has been cut short by current circumstances, Katie has stayed with us, volunteering remotely to help Soft Landing stay afloat during this challenging time- specifically stepping in to help with Missoula Gives! We are so grateful for students like Katie, who are dedicated to making this community a better place.

Save the (New) Date

We just couldn’t stand to see a year go by without our annual soccer tournament to celebrate all of our wonderful new neighbors in Missoula the best way we know how- with soccer, music and food!  Due to concerns with wanting to be sensitive to COVID social distancing for as long as possible, we have moved back the date from World Refugee Day in June to Welcoming Week in September.  We will continue to monitor the situation, but for now- please mark your calendars to come celebrate with us on September 12, 2020! More info on the 2020 tournament as well as great photos from past years here!

Through an amazing partnership with many local business around town that are providing production space, including our good friends- Imagine Nation Brewing Company, Coaster Cycles is well on it’s way to producing 1,000,000 face shields to be used locally and sent all over the US to COVID hot spots in need of this essential protective equipment. 84,000 shields were assembled and shipped out just last week to hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities in need. And where there is resourcefulness, creativity, and ingenuity- of course there are REFUGEES! Here are a few pictures of some amazing people stepping up to help with productions of these shields. Thank you to everyone involved in this incredible project

Soft Landing Missoula seeks a summer team member to join their small but dynamic organization. A summer team member would focus on supporting refugee and immigrant youth and their families in Missoula. They would design and implement summer programming focused on educational, recreational and social outings and activities for youth ages 13-20. 

Outings and activities would have the goal of preventing summer learning loss, preparing them for future academic and career opportunities and giving them access to experiences they otherwise would not have. The member will communicate regularly with participating youth to ensure their wellbeing and access to food and support over the summer. 

In addition, the summer team member would participate in COVID relief efforts of the organization. These may include using community resources to bring food to families, checking in on families via phone or social media, and helping families fill out paperwork for benefits. 

Living Allowance: None

Hours Commitment: Members commit to serve at least 300 hours.

Start Date:  Flexible (May/June) and end date no later than August 31.

# of weekly hours:  Flexible—part-time to full time as long as they are on track to complete at least 300 hours. 

Service Eligibility Types: Positions can be work study, internships, practicum or volunteers.

Eligible for Service: College Students or 2020 high school graduates (17-18 years old)

Education Award: Earn a $1,289 Education Award for future schooling or to pay down student loans. 13 MT colleges may match up to $1,000 annually.   

Contact Molly Cottrell at molly@softlandingmissoula.org for details on how to apply.

I’ve got that fuzzy feeling…

How the heck are ya?  This is crazy isn’t it?  In general, I feel like I am doing pretty good, and then all of a sudden I am caught off guard by an awkward laugh turned to ugly-cry turned back to laugh. This emotion, this reaction, is uncomfortable and something I have felt a little hard to nail down, but I think it just stems from general life discombobulation and disconnect. That kind of fuzzy feeling we all have when the path back to “normal” (and I am not sure that is even the best path right?!?) isn’t immediately apparent. 

Today, I did something I needed badly to feel a little “normal” again. I left the chilly basement room of my house (where the lower half of my body has been snuggled in a sleeping bag and my face has been in front of a screen for most of my recent work days) and I met up with Maria and Molly (wearing masks and keeping our distance) to deliver special food and supply boxes to every Eritrean Family for the Easter Holiday that they celebrate this weekend.  Oh, it was so wonderful to see the beautiful faces of my friends. The positive effect on my heart- immeasurable. Their faces looked a little like mine (wide-eyed and discombobulated- see first paragraph), but they also radiated love and hope and humor and gratitude and resilience. And I just thought, “They are doing ok- WE are doing our job.  We are living our mission. This is why we are here”.

So while yes, much of my life feels uncomfortably fuzzy, there is one thing in which my clarity has not wavered. I feel more solid in the mission and the importance of our work than ever and more proud of our amazing team than ever- each doing our own part to adapt, to piece it together, and then to rise to the occasion. As I described in my last email, and that you can now find on our website, we have been able to move quickly to shift the services we offer to prioritize our work with partners to keep families safe, fed, housed, accessing available financial assistance, connected to on-line education, and still feel like they are a part of a community that cares about them.  In ways, it has been a magical time that we can do these things, that we are here, and that we can still offer a warm “hug”, even if it is with a “knock and drop” box of holiday essentials.

Uncertainty is hard. It is just emotionally hard to live in the unknown, the uncertain- how ever much you rise to the occasion, still it lurks under the surface. Find small ways that help you feel connected.  Get out of your basement and out from behind screens as often as you can. And most importantly, be kind to yourselves.  Embrace the uncomfortable laugh turned to ugly-cry turned to laugh.  It helps remind us that we are all human and in this together.

In love and gratitude,

Mary

PS- Those boxes we delivered?  They contained all sorts of goodies that your generosity has made happen.  We used donated gift cards and recent monetary donations to purchase teff flour, green coffee beans, sanitizing wipes and other essential staples (I got some nasty looks for assumed “hoarding” of wipes as I went through the checkout line this morning-ha!), and each family also got a beautiful handmade mask to keep them safe during trips out of the house. Next week, we will deliver care packages to families beginning to celebrate the Ramadan holiday that begins next Friday. You guys are the ones that make this happen. Please consider an in-kind gift of supplies or gift cards or better yet- commit to a monthly donation to get us through this time if your family feels able to. At the end of this month, there will also be the opportunity to support our COVID specific relief work through Missoula Gives– more info about that on it’s way 😉 Thank you.

PPS- GRETA HAD HER BABY!!!!! HOORAY!  Mom and baby are home and happy and healthy. We got in a quick visit to peek in through the window at this amazing woman and our new office manager- Iris 😉 She agreed to let me share this picture with you all. Sorry for the window glare but hopefully we will all get to meet her in person soon!

Here are a few photos of our adventures delivering holiday food and supplies for Eritrean families yesterday- doing our best to follow essential social distancing AND support families.

Kamoon Arabian Cuisine

Did you guys know that the refugee-run Kamoon food truck continues to serve up delicious dinners daily?!  Parked in the lot at Imagine Nation Brewing Company (1151 W. Broadway), you are able to order ahead of time via telephone or on-line and then grab a growler or 4-pack of the most delicious beer from Imagine Nation. If you pick up both food and beer, you get $1 off food and $2 off beer!  Come out and support these amazing small businesses that add incredible value to our community.

LEARN MORE

AmeriCorps Position

Soft Landing is looking for an AmeriCorps Volunteer to join our dynamic team for the 2020-2021 school year. This full time position will be specifically focused on working with and supporting refugee youth in accessing and pursuing higher education.

Request for additional information or questions about the position can be emailed to molly@softlandingmissoula.org or learn more by clicking on the button below.

LEARN MORE

Find out more about how to support Soft Landing Missoula’s COVID-19 response effort during Missoula Gives by checking our our Facebook Event page.  Please share widely!

Soft Landing Missoula is looking for an AmeriCorps Volunteer to join our dynamic team for the 2020-2021 school year. This full time position will be specifically focused on working with and supporting refugee youth in accessing and pursuing higher education.

Request for additional information or questions about the position can be emailed to molly@softlandingmissoula.org.

Position Title: Montana Campus Compact AmeriCorps

Benefits:

·       $538/biweekly (pre-tax)

·       Healthcare coverage

·       Childcare assistance, if eligible

·       $6,195.00 Education Award upon successful completion of service

·       Professional development opportunities

·       10 personal days and 10 medical/sick days

·       Eligible for hiring preferences at Employers of National Service locations

Commitment: September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021

How to Apply:

Applicants must apply through the Montana Campus Compact website. The application can be found at: https://mtcompact.org/americorps-vista/apply-to-serve/full-time-member-application-process/

To learn more about national service with Montana Campus Compact, visit https://mtcompact.org/

Connection…

This is a word I have been thinking about and hearing about so much over the past 2 weeks.  Many of us seem to be struggling to find that balance between social isolation (think: shelter in place, working and parenting from home), connection (think; friendships, hugs, seeing extended family, loved ones, and co-workers), and over stimulation (think: there is such thing as too much information- even in times of crisis right?).  While this is certainly a personal challenge, it is also an organizational challenge and we hope we can hit the sweet spot- a heartfelt true connection that brings value to the lives of those we interact with and serve.  While I don’t want to downplay the challenges that our community faces, including newly resettled refugees who are some of the most economically vulnerable among us (many have not yet had enough time to build the needed financial security to get through something like this unscathed), I have also been so fortunate to see beautiful silver linings emerge and one of these is connection – even if it is connection at a distance.  For Soft Landing, this unprecedented situation has grown and solidified bonds with partner organizations, supporters, and the refugee families we serve. In some ways, we feel even more connected because we have had to step a bit out of our comfortable bubble we had found over the last couple years with our core programming and back into the unknown (not a place we are unfamiliar with!).  So yes, while this crisis is mind-blowingly challenging on so many levels- there is actually a lot we can do as individuals and as a community to make sure we come out on the other side stronger, better equipped for future challenges, and yes, more connected than ever.

I want to share with you a bit about what we are doing to make sure the roughly 45 refugee and immigrant families we serve are staying safe and getting what they need in this uncertain time. This has been a substantial (temporary) shift in programming for us and I want to say here, that the Soft Landing team has stepped up to the plate with grace and passion- THANK YOU Molly, Greta and Maria- you guys are my heroes.  Also, we are doing this with so many great partners, including the International Rescue Committee, Missoula Alliance Church, the Missoula City/County Health Department, and Missoula County Public Schools and we are in AWE of how many individuals and organizations have stepped up to assist those in our community affected most. 

Here are some quick bullet points about what we are up to and later in this (way too long, I know…) email, I will be posting a Zoom link to hop on a “Town Hall” video chat with us to hear more or ask any questions you may have!  Kind of a fun way to get some face time with you all, many of you we dearly miss seeing in the office regularly, so I really hope you will join us on Friday April 3rd at 11 am OR 7 pm (MT) on Zoom (same content, two different time slots).

SLM’s last 2 1/2 weeks (and the foreseeable future):

1- Research and dissemination of culturally appropriate information about COVID-19 safety and available resources (changing constantly) in native languages so that refugees can have equal access to information.

2- Delivery of supplies (food, diapers, etc…) to families that already struggle with transportation, many of whom work in the service industry and have been laid off due COVID-19.  (Shout out to the amazing work of the Missoula Food Bank!!!)

3- Purchasing of food and supplies for affected families.  This especially includes culturally specific food items that are essential staples in these family’s diets that are not available through the Missoula Food Bank (ie: teff flour for injera, cornmeal for ugali, etc…).

4- Providing technology assistance (securing donated or purchased computers and helping to set them up, get them online, etc..) for middle school and high school kids during school closures to make sure they have equal access to education. 

5- Organizing and providing appropriate training for volunteers for online tutoring for middle school/ high school kids to support MCPS online learning curriculum.

6- Providing support to families with young school aged children through dropping off books and school materials and talking with parents about academic activities (such as trying to have the kids reading for at least an hour a day).

7- Ensuring that refugee adults with lost and/or reduced employment are able to access available and appropriate financial resources such as Unemployment Insurance, TANF, SNAP, etc… 

8- Providing connection to community for refugee families. SLM is doing regular check-ins (per most recent safety guidelines and social distancing rules) with each family and coordinating with partners to make sure physical and emotional needs are being met during this time. Although this is a confusing and isolating time for many refugee families, knowing that they are connected to a community and have a circle of people who care about them is reassuring and important to their mental health.

9- Connecting with our Soft Landing community- this is where you come in!  Hop on the Zoom Town Hall with us this Friday, or email me to suggest another time that would work for you to connect!  We are here and working hard and want you to continue to feel connected to this work you have so generously supported with your time and resources!

OK!  Thanks for making it this far in this email update, and we really do hope to “see” you Friday to chat more! Hang in there guys.  This is hard.  Never hesitate to reach out to us and PLEASE, stay well in health, mind, and spirit.

In love and gratitude,

Mary

Friday April 3rd- 11am

Town Hall style video meeting to chat about what has been going on with refugee families in Missoula and how you can help!
 

11 am Zoom Link

Friday April 3rd- 7pm

Town Hall style video meeting to chat about what has been going on with refugee families in Missoula and how you can help!
 

7 pm Zoom Link

Enjoy these super boring pictures of us Zooming the last couple weeks with board members, donors, and University classes- intended to make us look savy and smart but which will almost certainly result in karmatic unplanned technical difficulties with our Town Hall calls! 

In order to connect with all of you- so many of whom we miss seeing on the office on a regular basis- we have 2 time slots set on Friday April 3rd- 11 am MT and 7pm MT for a Town Hall style video meeting. We will talk about what our past few weeks have looked like in trying to support refugee families during the COVID-19 crisis and hopefully get to hear ideas and thoughts from you and your experiences in these unprecedented times.

Both meetings are on Friday April 3rd and are meant to cover the same content, we just picked two times to accommodate varying schedules.

Join at 11 am MT – Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/629333558

Join at 7 pm MT – Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/535266733

Please join us for one of these time slots- WE MISS YOU!

WTF.

I’m pissed.  I’m confused. I’m sad. I know that you guys usually get a sunny message from me to “hold firm” to “celebrate the beauty”, but right now I am just plain fired up and I need you all to know why.  The US travel ban for select countries that has been in and out and back in again since 2017, just got expanded. Immigrants from Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Eritrea, and Nigeria, as well as diversity visas from Sudan and Tanzania have now been added to the original 2018 ban of people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, and North Korea. 

 So, I know these things are nuanced.  I know they are not black and white. While I honestly don’t feel like I have near the expertise to understand the minutiae of all of the countries on this ban, and there is so much to know, I do feel solidly able to speak to the addition of Eritreans to this list, as well as the standing ban on Syrians. I am not an expert, but the last 4.5 years of my life has been spent learning the best I can about what is going on in these countries and with new friends in my life that I have come to love, admire, cherish, and trust.

 So, the ban.  The excuse for the original and extended ban is our safety.  It is said that the reason for the ban is that these countries can’t or won’t provide the US with the appropriate standard of information on its citizens coming to the US (ie: in the case of Eritrea and Syria- it’s citizens that are trying to flee).  Well, no crap.

 Why would they? Why would the Eritrean government, one that is creating over 5,000 refugees a MONTH (so so many of whom are children), one that is brutally imprisoning and torturing its own people in secret underground prisons, one that uses indefinite forced military conscription of men and women to create what amounts to slave labor for those at the top- why on earth would THIS government have any motivation to comply with US standards of reporting so that those who have fled can seek safety?  Let’s look at Syria- from the original travel ban. Why would a regime that is CURRENTLY still holding millions of its own people under siege, to the tune of hundreds of civilians (yes- civilian men, women, and CHILDREN) still being killed each month, care about complying with the US? Just because their governments are failing them, why do these families deserve our protection any less? Shouldn’t these situations warrant EXTRA assistance and hospitality to the survivors of this horror?

 But here is the kicker.  Does not allowing entry of a tiny portion of highly screened refugees (less than 1% of refugees end up being resettled in the US), even those from countries that don’t give us the exact level of information we ask for, make us any less safe? The answer is a resounding “no”.  The US system for screening refugees is strong. It is safe. To the point of ridiculous. When the screening is already so thorough that it takes multiple years and you have over 3.5 million refugees that have come to the US in the past 4 decades and not one person has been killed in a terrorist attack on US soil due to a refugee, it’s a dang tight system. Let’s give ourselves a little bit of credit. Why are we pretending we are weak? We already do a great job of providing safety to refugees and to the US at the same time- without these travel bans. 

 I know I am venting (ie: ranting) and I am “sorry, not sorry”. But the truth is, this ban is a continued smear campaign on refugees and immigrants, further impacts a dismally low number of refugee arrivals, and most tragically, it keeps families apart. Families that are now Missoulians. Families that are our own. I keep going back to the saying, “There is no such thing as someone else’s child”. We have to stand up for each other. 

 It may feel like there is not a lot we can do to change things, but we can pledge to keep fighting, to keep pushing.  We will not be caught hopeless and helpless and we are asking you to join us in strength. Soft Landing has a lot of events coming up and at each event, we will provide post cards you can write in support of refugees and robust resettlement numbers. We will provide info on who you can be calling. We will bear witness to films documenting the tragedy of countries at war, yet the strength and resilience of their people. We will sell you delicious cookies that will excite your Valentine AND put essential income into the pockets of refugee chefs. We will partake in the grand opening of an incredible all-ages art center (the new ZACC) by helping refugees share their own art in a public space. We ask you to stand up and be counted as an ally to refugees and immigrants by joining us for these events, then using those experiences to not only talk to your elected leaders, but also your friends and your family (extended included). Let’s not let our frustration paralyze us, but encourage us to do more to lift up our voices in support of refugee families.

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

P.S.- There is SOOOOO much going on in February!  You can check out the info below and/or keep an eye at our on-line calendar to participate.

Valentine’s Day Cookie Box Sale

It’s here!  Ordering starts NOW and only goes through the end of the week (Sunday Feb 9th)! Decadent Baklava and 6 other types of amazing cookies to tempt your Valentine- or to enjoy yourself!  Profits go directly to the local refugee chefs who hand-make these treats and provide critical support for these families to get established in the community.
 

ORDER NOW

SLM is Hiring!  

We are incredibly excited to announce a new position with Soft Landing’s food based programming- United We Eat.  We are looking for a Program Manager experienced in business and/or non-profit management with a passion for food and it’s intersection with social justice.  This will be a dynamic and creative position – not to mention, a lot of FUN!
 

LEARN MORE

Events and Opportunities

>> Community Day for Soft Landing at The Notorious P.I.G.- TOMORROW Feb 4th.  Join us for lunch, dinner, or anything in between and SLM gets 15% of the day’s proceeds.  More info on theFB event. >>

>> SLM teams up with the ZACC for February’s First Friday Art Walk and their Grand Re-opening this Friday Feb. 7th. Come see the new space and enjoy art by our Congolese neighbors.  More info here. >>

>> YES!  It’s almost here!  The Big Sky Documentary Film Fest, running Feb 14th-23rd, is one of our favorite events all year and we are sponsoring 4 films this year! Come check it out and maybe we will see you at one of our 7 screenings during this week! Check out our schedule and more info here. >>

>> Dinner for the Displaced.  Hands On Global, a Helena nonprofit, is hosting and informational and fundraising dinner for their work providing medical relief in refugee camps around the world as well as at our southern border. This is a really amazing group.  Come support their incredibly important work with us on Saturday Feb 22 at 6p at St. Paul Lutheran Church.  More info here. >>
 

Let’s get this party started!

Is the turning of the year always a reflective time? Do I really have to take a look back at 2019? With the wacky news cycle, the constant bombardment of one thing after another and a million little changes in between, I can understand why this term “reflection” takes a bit of the breath out of me these days. Right now, I am much more excited to look ahead in projection rather than behind in reflection, and some times you just have to grin and listen to your heart- so I will.

Instead of trying to wrap one more brain cell (or heart cell as it stands) around wrong-headed decisions to reduce the national number of refugee arrivals in 2020, in a time when more people are displaced world wide by war and conflict (yup- not even counting natural disasters, fire, and climate) than ever in recorded history and what that might mean for the institution of resettlement in America let alone the world, I am going to rejoice in the positive decisions our state and local government have made to support and welcome refugees.  I am going to celebrate the work done by local organizations such as the Lifelong Learning Center, the International Rescue Committee, Missoula County Public Schools, Job Services Missoula, and more, to work with refugees with an emphasis on dignity and opportunity. I am going to rally alongside our diverse and compassionate faith communities, and I am going to be in awe of volunteers- ALWAYS the volunteers- as you all make this world go round. I am going to scheme, build, grow, and maybe even learn how to say “no” every now and then with the most incredible humans that make up the staff of Soft Landing. And last but certainly not least, with fierce gratitude, I am going to walk, play, dance, and eat beside wonderful new neighbors that now call Missoula home. That is my proactive plan for 2020.

There is plenty of room in this plan for you 😉 

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

PS- We hope that you have all recovered from the gluttony of the holidays, as well as the frantic fasting in recovery of said gluttony, and are ready to join us for more adventures in food in 2020! Look below for information on our January Supper Club- An Eritrean feast that is sure to sell out quickly so hop to it!- as well as a job listing for a new full time employee with Soft Landing Missoula to manage all of our food adventures so we can grow this incredibly well received branch of our programming. 

January Supper Club

Join us at Scotty’s Table on Monday January 27th for delicious Eritrean food full of warmth, spice, and love.  Similar to Ethiopian food, sharing in this family style meal is a real treat. Click below to view more details and reserve your spot. Our first Supper Club of the year, spots are sure to go QUICKLY!

RESERVE NOW

Job Opportunity

Do you love food and people and have experience in business and/or nonprofit management?  We are looking for a creative, energetic, and experienced person to run our food-based, social enterprise program- United We Eat. Check out the Job post and more info below.

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Events and Opportunities

>> We are looking for volunteers to join our fun and rewarding after school tutoring program for middle school and high school students.  We especially welcome folks interested in tutoring math and science and the kids would be especially excited for someone who shares their love of Hot Cheetos. Check out this an other volunteer needs here. >>

>> Do you have experience in setting up websites and would be interested in volunteering to help a woman set up a simple website with instruction on how to manage it for her new small business?  This is a fun opportunity to be a part of economic sufficiency and work one on one with a new refugee entrepreneur! Email mary@softlandingmissoula.org >>

We are so so excited to announce that we have been fortunate enough to secure the necessary funding to formalize, grow, and bring sustainability to our food-based programming- United We Eat. This program has been incredibly well received by the Missoula community and refugee participants alike and we are looking forward to bringing on new member of the team to help make the magic happen! You will find the job post below- feel free to share!

UNITED WE EAT PROGRAM MANAGER 

Soft Landing Missoula (SLM) is looking for a Program Manager to oversee, develop, and manage all aspects related to SLM’s social enterprise food-based programming- United We Eat.

About Soft Landing Missoula and United We Eat:

In the fall of 2015, Soft Landing Missoula was born from a grassroots effort by Missoula community members with the goal to do more for refugees fleeing war and persecution. At the time, Montana was one of only two states in the nation that was not participating in resettlement. One short year later, and a lot of hard work by many, we saw the arrival of the first refugee family to land in Missoula in decades. SLM now functions as a 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission to help Missoula, Montana be a welcoming, supportive, and informed community that can assist refugees and immigrants to integrate and thrive. Working alongside many incredible partners, SLM provides ongoing support to refugees by helping them meet their physical, educational, and social needs as they settle into our community.

United We Eat is SLM’s food-based programming that has a goal of using food to provide a cultural bridge to our greater community, as well as social and economic opportunity for Missoula’s refugees and immigrants. For families forced to leave everything behind, the unique things that can be carried, the things that are kept in hearts and heads, oftentimes are recipes and traditions surrounding food. In 2017, with interest and requests from refugee families, SLM began to provide a platform for people to feel valued by sharing their food with their new community and bring a little bit of that tradition to Missoula. Evolving over the years to include assistance at Missoula’s two farmers’ markets, partnerships with restaurants for “Supper Club” dinners, organization of holiday cookie sales, and most recently, the launching a successful pilot program in the summer of 2019 that provided 150 pick-up meals a week, United We Eat has become an integral part of Soft Langing’s programming. In 2019 alone, we worked with 12 refugee and immigrant chefs to create and sell around 2,500 meals and thousands of cookies. This engaged over 600 customers and put over $20,000 directly into the hands of our chefs. 

Job Description: 

We are currently looking for an experienced, creative, and compassionate “people person” to maintain and manage our growing United We Eat program. The United We Eat Program Manager will work directly with refugee and immigrant chefs, volunteers, and other Soft Landing staff and employees to create and manage a sustainable social enterprise that provides a beautiful and valuable product for Missoulians, economic benefit for the chefs, and is financially stable for Soft Landing Missoula. They will be responsible for working within a budget, maintaining a system to track results, and participating in fundraising activities for the program. This is a very hands-on position that will be working both behind the scenes to manage the website, sales, accounting, and marketing of a “business”, as well as managing the kitchen while working directly with chefs and customers to create a quality experience for all. This is a dynamic job that will have variable daytime, evening, and possible weekend hours.

This is a full time, 35/hrs (negotiable) per week salaried position at $31,000-$35,000/yr, DOE, for someone interested in food-based social enterprise, refugee and immigrant issues, and leadership of innovative programming. 

Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision

• 4 weeks paid vacation

• 6 weeks paid parental leave

• Flexible scheduling and an awesome team of co-workers in a relaxed but hard working office

This position reports to the Executive Director of Soft Landing Missoula.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Program Management:

• Manage all aspects of SLM’s food-based programming including Supper Clubs, Farmers’ Market assistance, cookie sales, United We Eat @home, and other special events.

• Maintain clear and current records tracking budget, trends, and program results.

• Management of chefs, volunteers, and other personnel such as dishwashers, a possible VISTA, and/or intern.

• Maintain a courteous, kind, and responsive environment for all; chefs, volunteers, personnel, and customers.

• Maintain current and explore additional community partnerships for program success.

• Work with Executive Director to evaluate and implement sustainable program growth.

• Work with Executive Director and Donor Engagement and Impact Director to fundraise for the program.

Kitchen Management (currently specific to United We Eat @home):

• Complete and maintain ServSafe Certification through Missoula City/County Health Department.

• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served safely in accordance with all relevant food safety agency requirements.

• Submit and track all required paperwork with the Health Department and other applicable agencies.

• Prepare and transcribe home recipes in coordination with the chef to a product that is able to be commercially created in large quantities, utilizing available tools as needed, such as video examples, translators, and online imagery. Experienced volunteer resources also may be utilized for calculating quantity.

• Coordinate and purchase all ingredients and equipment needs, including unusual and specific needs.

• Directly assist chef and kitchen personnel (both paid and volunteer) where needed to ensure standards and efficient operations.

• Establish and keep tidy electronic records for all chef bios and recipes, including portion sizes, any ingredients with special ordering procedures, and serving directions.

• Control ingredient and packaging cost and food waste.

• Coordinate and document volunteer and other personnel hours.

• Ensure that all equipment is kept clean and in working condition through personal inspection and by following the facility’s preventative maintenance programs.

• Provide orientation of program rules, policies and procedures and supervise the training of chefs, kitchen volunteers, and employees in safe operation of all kitchen equipment and utensils.

• Train and monitor kitchen personnel in cleanliness and sanitation practices.

• Maintaining cleaning schedules for the kitchen facility including floors, mats, walls, hoods, other equipment and food storage areas according to facility and program policy.

• Check and maintain proper food holding and refrigeration temperature control points.

• Prepare required paperwork, including receipts, reports, and schedules in an organized and timely manner.

• Work with customers to resolve concerns in a timely and courteous manner.

Website and Marketing:

• Maintain the unitedweeatmt.org website (hosted through Shopify) to ensure accurate and current sales options.

• Utilize Mail Chimp to send out program emails to customers on a regular basis. 

• Manage social media surrounding United We Eat programming, including the use of volunteers and other personnel to assist in this. 

• Work with the Executive Director to create additional marketing opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Energetic, compassionate, humble and a positive sense of humor.

• Innovative and creative thinker.

• Experience and interest in working with diverse communities.

• Interest in economic opportunity for under-served populations.

• At least 2 years experience in non-profit and/or business management.

• Proficient in Google Drive, spreadsheet use, email, website management, and social media platforms.

• Passion for and significant experience in the food industry- both front and back of house.

• Ability to acquire and maintain personal certifications necessary for the job with an interest for additional personal skills development.

• Able to speak and write passionately and articulately about the mission of Soft Landing Missoula as a whole as well as the United We Eat program. 

To apply, please email a cover letter explaining your interest and a resume including 3 references to info@softlandingmissoula.org. Applications encouraged by Feb 10th, but position will be open until filled.